These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things: 8 Of Ben’s Favorite New Biohacks.

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“Raindrops on roses
And whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things…”

Perhaps you've heard that classic Julie Andrews song from The Sound Of Music film score.

Perhaps not.

Anyways, regardless of your familiarity with old movies, let's segue way into something else old: today (at least at the time I'm writing these words) I turned 40.

And so I figured I'd ever-so-briefly give you a quick update as to a few of the fringe, compelling, interesting, and/or helpful new biohacks and tricks I've been toying around with lately. These are, so to speak, the “winners” for me that in my daily experimentation with the new, the novel, and the cutting-edge, seem to be moving the dial quite a bit in the energy, recovery, and overall well-being department.

So in no particular order of importance, here we go with eight of my favorite new biohacks…


8 Of Ben's Favorite New Biohacks

Biohack #1: Sensate

Sensate is a vagus nerve stimulator that you hang around your neck like a necklace, and it sits right over the sternum, where it produces a vibration that stimulates your vagus nerve via bone conduction. It vibrates at very specific frequencies for vagal nerve tone and parasympathetic nervous system regulation, shifts you quite quickly into a state of relaxation, and syncs with a phone app that plays specific sounds and tracks that follow along with the vibrating stimulator. I've been digging the 10-30 minute sessions as an alternative to meditation or a nap. Sensate is also good if you wake up at night and need to lull yourself back to sleep, if you need to work on increasing your HRV score, or if you tend to have trouble quieting racing thoughts. I've been doing two to three sessions a week.

Biohack #2: BrainTap

BrainTapnew biohacks is a light-sound stimulation headset that has an enormous selection of tracks that you can play for self-hypnosis, meditation, breathwork, increasing sleep onset, learning, creativity, etc. I messed around with a BrainTap a couple of years ago and wasn't too impressed, but then I recently got to try their new, upgraded hardware and it works surprisingly well. My twin thirteen-year-old sons love the “journeys” of hypnosis it can take you on, and while I thought the whole thing was gimmicky at first, it's now (to my geeky self, at least), better than watching a movie. Like the Sensate, I've been doing two to three sessions a week and really digging it. Also, like the Sensate, BrainTap is a great modern, techy alternative to napping or meditation, with similar relaxation and refreshing effects. I find it works even better when I pair it with the Apollo wearable in “Meditation/Mindfulness” mode.

Biohack #3: Othership

Othership is my favorite new breathwork app. It has over 300 selections of extremely well-produced guided breathwork sessions, including specific “trippy” sessions designed to pair with things like CBD, THC, ketamine, sex, etc. There's a dizzying variety of breathwork apps out there but this one is just really good, earning it a spot in this favorite new biohacks list. I'm been doing a 6-15 minute “upper” session each day, a “downer” session often before naps or sleep, and on the weekends, the longer 50-70 minute holotropic-style trippy sessions. It's better with headphones, by the way, because many of the tracks also include binaural beats and really great tracks to shift you into different brainwave states.

Biohack #4: VASPER with LIVEO2

new biohacksFor some time, I've owned both a VASPER (a full-body exercise machine that combines cold thermogenesis, grounding/earthing, and blood flow restriction) and a LIVEO2 (an oxygen mask that allows you to rapidly shift between hyperoxia and hypoxia during exercise, thus saturating the brain and muscles with oxygen, very similar to hyperbaric therapy). When winter began and more of my workouts shifted indoors, I started doing three 21-minute sessions a week combining the two, and I'm pretty much convinced it's the most effective cardiovascular stack I've ever experienced. Obviously a spendy setup, but for biohackers who dig exercise and owning nice things that make exercise about ten times more efficient, this is a pretty impressive one-two combo—probably the most efficient “minimal exercise dose” I know of.

Biohack #5: Voodoo Flossing

Kelly Starrett's book Becoming A Supple Leopard has always been a go-to cookbook for me when managing injuries and joint mobility, and in it, he gives a good education on the concept of tourniqueting above and below a joint with a stretchy band, then pumping that joint through a range of motion to decrease inflammation, increase mobility, break down scar tissue, etc. I kind of forgot about this so-called “voodoo flossing” for a while, then got a bum knee and started doing it again. Considering it's a quick two-minute mobility hack, it works surprisingly well.

Biohack #6: Kratom & Kava

Between my podcast episode with Cameron George of TruKava and JW Ross of the Feel Free kratom/kava blend, I've been consuming quite a bit of kratom and kava, and I must say that I feel fantastic relying upon these as my two main nootropics and adaptogens of late. Some people don't like either one of them, but what can I say: they really, really agree with my physiology. I typically have a shot of Feel Free mid-morning and another shot mid-afternoon, then keep the TruKava tincture around as a handy alternative to alcohol in the evenings. I'm pretty happy with both and recommend you give them a try if you haven't yet.

Biohack #7: Hapbee

The Hapbee device, which uses a magnetic signal to activate the same cellular response as you'd get from substances such as CBD, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, MDMA, THC, etc., but without actually consuming said substance, is something I've recorded a podcast about here. What's cool is that they just added a host of new recipes that combine different molecules, so now you can flip the device on and choose from recipe blends such as “Long Flight,” “Email Mastery,” “Deep Work,” “Out On The Town,” and more. I'm pretty much hooked on this thing and still blown away how you can get the same effect as a supplement or medication without actually consuming it. Crazy.

Biohack #8: Delta-8 THC

new biohacksI'm kind of shocked that Delta-8 is not yet banned by the feds and remains somehow legal to buy anywhere and order online. The reason I'm surprised is that, when used in adequate doses, Delta-8 basically gets you just as high (kind of more of a “full-body high”) as Delta-9 THC, the psychedelic side of cannabis most of us are familiar with. I figure at some point in the next few months some congressman or something is going to eat a Delta-8 edible, get “high as F,” realize the stuff should be regulated, then enact legislation to do so. But in the meantime, Delta-8 is fully available, and while I'm not a fan of, nor do I endorse, getting high just to get high, the fact is that microdoses of the stuff are amazing for creativity, and if you're stressed or hyped up, a regular-sized dose is just absolutely magical for sleep. The brand I've been using is Noel Creek Hemp, which makes a delicious gummy in a variety of flavors, including a couple of my favorites: pineapple and passionfruit.

So there you have it: a few of my favorite new biohacks. I realize those were Spartan-esque explanations of how I use each of those cool tools, but hopefully, you've discovered just a couple that make your life better. I'm constantly experimenting and will continue to report back on what works and what doesn't (e.g., right now I'm trying a multi-day stint of my friend Dr. John Lieurance's Lumetol Blue 60 mg as a suppository with SimplyO3 ozone treatments and full-body infrared via JOOVV for the ultimate mitochondrial “cocktail”—the results thus far are promising in terms of overall daily energy!).

How about you? What are a few of the favorite things that have been working well for you lately? Leave your questions, comments, and feedback below. I read them all. And should you want a complete list of the tools and toys I use on the regular—and often equip my clients with to enhance their own lives—you can download this handy little document.

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13 thoughts on “These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things: 8 Of Ben’s Favorite New Biohacks.

  1. Berlin says:

    Kratom is addictive. Period.

    Yes, people use it step down from harder core opiates, and you know why? Because the mitragynine in it also has opiate-like effects and the accompanying withdrawal. I know from personal experience. There are hundreds of Reddit groups devoted to quitting kratom. Just like phenibut, it is fabulous and the answer to all of your problems at first, and then awful and the reason for all of your misery after a period of using it consistently.

  2. Dennis says:

    The BrainTap link does not work.

    1. Thank you for reporting this Dennis!

  3. How do you rate the CAROL bike? I read your blog on it and did some research before ordering. It only arrived today and so have only used it once so far. Am interesting to know if you still use it regularly?

    1. Bill says:

      He liked it long enough to get the affiliate commission when you bought one :)

  4. Mia Malkova says:

    Delta 8 THC is sadly being investigated at the state level. It is illicit to buy in Vermont, regardless of the authorization of Delta-9 for individual utilization! What a wreck. Additionally, Kratom is illicit in Vermont so I can’t buy Feel Free.

  5. Lucas says:

    Delta 8 THC is unfortunately being scrutinized at the state level. It is illegal to purchase in Vermont, despite the legalization of Delta-9 for personal consumption! What a mess. Also, Kratom is illegal in Vermont so I cannot purchase Feel Free.

  6. Steve Eberhardt says:

    I have to agree with Richard regarding Kratom.

    The stuff is on the same level as Opium or H, and can absolutely get you addicted.

    Further getting off this is a Bitch and a half.

    Be very very careful.

    1. Nic says:

      Definitely not on the same level. Not sure where you’re getting this info. It’s often used to get people off pain medication. You’d need to consume a bunch of these throughout the day to get physiologically addicted. Now if you have a general problem with addiction… you should probably avoid anything that induces euphoria.

  7. John H says:

    What Live02 protocol do you use with the Vasper?

  8. richard says:

    FeelFree is clearly bad. I am very sorry to see you supporting this. If and its a BIG IF, the FeelFree website would at least talk about the inclusion of Kratom maybe it would not be so bad. But it does not. So users operating on your recommendation are going to get this. Then they are going to be addicted to Kratom. From personal experience I can not over emphasize how bad this is. Its very depressing that you are actually supporting this. – Rich

    Basically shame on you!

    For the record:

    I use

    CGM

    Oura

    Polar

    Sleep 8

    Withings sleep pad

    So I use what works. Kratom definitely gets to a eurpohic state, BUT AT A HORRIBLE COST. You can attempt to explain this away way you want, but it does not change the essentials. Kratom is extremely addictive, FeelFree is hiding the inclusion of kratom in their product! Have you even been to their website? I used to be a big follower. Not anymore. Additionally I will do my best to steer people away from you. Which is sad, because you do have a lot of good content.

    1. Nicer than Richard says:

      Shame on YOU for shaming others for trying to help, youre lack of common sense is annoying, they’re changing the saying from debbie downer to richard downer.

    2. Amy says:

      I agree Richard. Their website does not mention Kratom anywhere on it. The actual bottle lists it but it is in small print and doesn’t include the dosage (shame on me for not reading the actual bottle initially after buying it). I tried this product and liked it a lot, made me feel more productive/energetic and more tolerable of stress at work. However, I have noticed that when I don’t take it I am now very irritable and angry and I was never that way before taking FeelFree. I feel there is definitively an addictive component to it and wished I had known there was Kratom in it beforehand or had listened to Ben’s podcast before taking it, as they do discuss it in the podcast. I feel the negatives outweigh the benefits and it seems very fishy that they do not mention it once on the website.

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